Darkness on the Horizon
by Takato Metallium
Summary: COMPLETE. AU, dark, slash. I: The Pirate King. II: BloodDipped Sunrise. III: Dreams of Nothingness. IV: Children She Could Not Touch. V: Mirror Mirror on the Wall. VI: The Harsh Truth. VII: A Swordsman's Honor. VIII: To Be The Pirate King.
1. I: The Pirate King

**Darkness on the Horizon  
I: The Pirate King****  
**Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Zoro/Luffy, Sanji/Usopp). A town eagerly awaits the execution of the Pirate King…  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
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Morning has come all too soon for some people. The dawn sun rises, and people all over the town begin to enter the execution grounds. Hidden amongst them is a boy looking to be no older than seven, a blue bandana covering his face from sight as blonde curls whip into his eyes and he escorts a younger girl with spiky green hair through the crowd.

Looking down at her while he fingers the slingshot in his hand, the boy mouths, "Senchou-san is waiting."

She nods wordlessly, gripping the handle of a white-hilted katana at her hip. She tugs the rimming of her straw hat lower, hiding her face all the more as she feels eyes at the back of her head, like the crowd is judging her for what she wears.

The two children wait anxiously, trying to see through the gathering as the Kaizoku no Ou is led to the stand and read his rights. The crowd also waits anxiously, but for different reasons. Some are beginning to chant, and the girl has to keep herself composed before she does something drastic.

Suddenly, as the noose is wrapped around the Ou's neck and they raise him off the ground, something flies through the air, and hits its target.

The shackles are broken and a wicked, wild grin splits across the Kaizoku's lips as he shakes his wrists free of the remaining iron. The crowd and the Marines look on in horror as he calmly lifts the noose from around his throat and looks pointedly towards the entryway to the grounds.

They follow his gaze to see a lithe, curly-haired man pulling back the rubber connected to his slingshot; they watch a blonde in a sleek black suit crack his knuckles and a redheaded lady assemble the parts to her bo staff calmly without a word. Next to the woman stands another with black hair, hands crossed over her chest in the sign of an X symbol and a small reindeer reverts to the size of a human, growling lowly under its breath.

At the front of the crew stands a man with green hair, two katana in hand. Whispers begin to float from the crowd, some in shock and others in panic. Nobody moves even as the Kaizoku no Ou hops off the stage like a leaf falling from its tree, hand holding his hat in place as the jacket he wears billows out behind him. His smile grows as he passes the two children, who follow behind him like shadows towards the crew at the entrance of the gallows.

"Kill them," he purrs, loud enough for everyone to hear. He turns on the spot, facing the villagers and Marines side on. "All of them. None must survive." The Straw Hat nakama smile almost the same as their Captain, their eyes narrowed as cold delight burns through their veins and they launch themselves towards the crowd with separate battle cries.

As Coby lays dying – drenched in his own and the blood of others, sight stained crimson – he manages to ask one question as the screaming stops and the death begins settling in.

"Why?"

Monkey D. Luffy appears in his line of vision, the same person yet so different from the one he met nine years ago. His grin simply widens as he crouches down to meet his level, reaching out with one hand to brush lavender hair away from broken glasses. "In the end, a pirate is no better than any other, my friend," he murmurs, watching the younger man's chest slow down, listening to the short gasps stop.

The Pirate King stands after closing Coby's eyes, turning away from him, meeting the gaze of each of his crew as they sheathe their weapons, dripping wet with blood. "One Piece made me realize that. Treasure is treasure; enemies are enemies…pirates are pirates. It's all the same." He reaches down to pat the green-haired girl on her head, his smile turning gentle. "Isn't that right, Kuina?"

His daughter smiles up at him radiantly from her other father's grip, nodding eagerly. "Hai, otousama!"

One by one, the Straw Hat crew leaves the grounds, their mission complete. Sanji and Usopp smile mysteriously at each other; taking the other's hand as their son Tony leads the way from the ocean of blood. Robin wraps a comforting arm around Nami, who once again cries for what she's done – the redhead still regrets every town they've ever slaughtered, still denying that she is, indeed, a pirate whether she likes it or not. Chopper takes his lady by the hand, leading innocent little Kuina away from her fathers, disturbed by the fact that even though the young girl has once again seen bloodshed she is still as bubbly as before.

Zoro waits for his husband to reach him, arm resting on the hilt of his two swords as he looks at him with uneasiness dancing in his eyes. He knows…he knows that slowly, little by little, the Luffy he loved and married is disappearing from the world, leaving this creature in his wake. His lover's eyes burn with an insane bloodlust far away at their back, he notices as he falls into step beside his Captain, and he dreads what will happen when the moon ascends to the skies tonight.

The Pirate King stretches his arms high over his head with a slight moan of pain at being held in the same place for too long, the sudden movement startling the first mate from his thoughts. Still, Zoro licks his lips, shifting his back muscles where Mihawk's Black Sword rests in the other swordsman's honor, strap wrapped around his shoulder. "Where to now, Senchou?"

The darker-haired man's smile returns, colder than the last, as he lowered his arms. There was no doubt – piracy had changed him for the worse. "Back to the Going Merry…and whatever town waits to shed its blood next."

And Roronoa Zoro prayed for the souls of that town, as he had for every one since the beginning.

Morning would break with darkness on the horizon and blood dripping from the sun.

And Luffy would laugh at anyone's defiance…just like always…

– Fin –


	2. II: BloodDipped Sunrise :Usopp:

'_How ironic_…'

The tanned man's lips quirked into a small mockery of a smile, staring around at the village and its residents he had once fought so hard to protect. The smile was as bitter as the memories as he pulled back the rubber in his slingshot, eyes covered by protective goggles. Blood already stained his clothes and lapped at the brown boots around his feet as he calmly made his way forward after firing into the sky as a signal he had done his job, lowering his arms.

"Stand aside, idiots."

Piiman…Ninjin…Tamanegi…

A small part of him – the part that had played pretend-pirates with them when they were younger – was proud to see his friends had grown into fine young men. What would they be now? Seventeen? Eighteen?

But this wasn't pretend anymore. This was real.

All too real.

Raising shaking hands, Piiman gripped the steel sword, sweat mingling with the blood already dripping down his face as he breathed heavily. "No…no. We won't let you get past…C-Captain…"

His grin turned feral and he raised the goggles off from his eyes, meeting each of their gazes with deadly precision. He could see their Adam's apples move as they swallowed nervously, could imagine the denial running through their minds. "You're not worth my time. Stand aside…unless you have a death wish."

Ninjin stood, or at least tried to; the kneecaps of his legs had been snapped back and broken by pachinko, ensuring he'd never walk again. "We…we won't let Kaya-ojousama be disappointed…" The youth gritted his teeth as pain laced through his legs, but it was too much and a howl of pure agony echoed through the village. Blood spilled from his lips, and he collapsed into Tamanegi's arms. Still, he managed to complete his sentence, gripping the arm of his long-time friend tightly. "We won't let Kaya-ojousama be…disappointed…by what you've become."

Usopp's sour smile grew slightly as he tossed three pachinko up into the air, a part of his heart pleased that they had lasted this long against him – they had obviously been training, wanting to please him when he returned a successful pirate.

And they had done.

As he tightened his grip around his slingshot, as they readied themselves for their last stand against their own, he thought back on the events that lead to this massacre, and his own damnation….

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**Darkness on the Horizon  
II: Blood-Dipped Sunrise**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Luffy/Zoro and Sanji/Usopp, mentions of Luffy/Usopp), one-shot. Usopp returns to Syrup Village…to prove his worth to his Captain.  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. If I owned OP, Sanji and Usopp (not to mention Zoro and Luffy) would've had sex already. 'Fraid not, kiddies. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
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"_It's your turn, Usopp."_

_These were the words the sniper had long since been dreading._

"_H-Hai, Senchou-sama."_

_The tanned man stood in his Captain's quarters, fidgeting nervously with the hem of his shirt as he watched Luffy play with Kuina's green hair; his daughter taking her afternoon nap in his lap. She mumbled something about food and turned towards his left, almost falling off, and drew a small smile to his lips before he raised his eyes, leaning his elbow onto the arm of his chair and resting his chin on his palm._

"_We'll be approaching Syrup Village in a couple of days and should reach it by nightfall after that," the Captain purred, his small smile becoming wicked. He narrowed his eyes, leaning back slightly. "I expect you to be ready by that time."_

_Usopp swallowed deeply, trying to still his hands. "Hai, Senchou-sama. I will be ready." The look in the other man's eyes told him that his Captain wasn't convinced and he forced a cold smile to curl on his lips as he took an almost coy stance. "I've been looking forward to massacring the fools who didn't believe me."_

_The smile on Luffy's own lips grew all the more and he laughed, the sound making Kuina murmur in her sleep and the long-nosed marksman shudder. "I'm sure you have. I will give you forty-two hours to get it done and grant you permission to take your son and husband with you. They should be more than enough backup."_

_Time seemed to stand still as sweat continued to drip down his tanned face. He licked his suddenly dry lips, swallowing again. "T-Tony, Senchou-sama? He…he's a child!"_

_A disapproving look crossed into Luffy's eyes and he shifted in his seat. "He is eight; Kuina's age. She has killed whereas he hasn't. It'll do the boy some good to learn what awaits him. The world is a cold place, Usopp – I'm sure you want your dear child to be able to survive."_

"_S-Senchou-sama…!" Hands gripped into fists and for a moment the curly-haired man considered attacking as he read the double meaning in that sentence. He relaxed however, dark locks of hair falling into his eyes. "S-Sanji has taught him to fight…that's more than enough…isn't it?"_

_Fingers began stroking lightly through Kuina's green hair again as she gave a sharp cry in her sleep, as though having a nightmare. "It is…but it's worthless in a battle if he never gains experience. You mother the boy too much…he'll never become a real pirate if you keep doing so." Luffy's eyes narrowed and he reached forward, snatching an apple from the fruit bowl sitting on the desk in front of him. "Now get going. You have two days to prepare for our arrival in Syrup…I don't want a failure coming back to my ship. You fail, you should have died there. Understood?"_

_Gritting his teeth, hands clenched at his sides, the sniper ground out a "Hai, Senchou-sama," before turning swiftly and exiting the cabin._

_Luffy's gaze trailed to the apple in his hand as the door slammed in his sharpshooter's wake, thumb moving deftly over the red surface, his other fingers jerked by the slight movement of his daughter's head as her sleep was momentarily disturbed. His smile darkened, lips quirking open to reveal his teeth. "This should be interesting," the Pirate King murmured to himself, giving the apple a slight toss into the air before catching it again and sinking his teeth in, closing his eyes blissfully as he heard the fruit break under pressure._

_If you listened just right, it almost sounded like the ominous cracking of a skull…_

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_Two days had come and gone too quickly. With a slightly ironic twist, they landed at the north coast – the very coast that he, Luffy, Nami and Zoro had fought on to stop the Kuroneko Kaizokudan from entering Syrup Village and the same coast that had started his travels as a Mugiwara._

"_It's been nine years," Usopp murmured to his husband as their son led the way up the slope with all the youthful enthusiasm he held. "Nine long years." He laughed softly, the sound dripping with soul-rending grief. "I should have just let Kuro attack. Then I wouldn't be doing this."_

_Sanji let his cigarette fall to the ground from his fingertips, snuffing the butt out with his boot as he went and taking the younger man by the hand. "Chin up," he encouraged softly, linking their fingers. "They say it's better to die at the hands of someone you know and love rather than those of a murderer."_

"_I'm nervous," the marksman admitted in a whisper, hand sweaty and clammy to prove his point as it slipped and pulled in the other's pale grip. "I just…hope nobody recognizes me." A finger flicked at his nose and he slapped the offending appendage away, glaring slightly at his husband. "Okay, okay. You made your point."_

"_Ah mou; touchan's village is so small." Tony bounced on the balls of his feet, swinging his arms as his face fell in slight disappointment. He looked over his shoulder at his parents, jabbing a finger in the direction of the huts. "Is that really our target?"_

_Usopp smiled slightly, reaching down with his free hand to pat the boy's back between his shoulder blades. "Hai. And don't mention the mission to any outsiders." He playfully tapped his son on the head, earning a whine. "Baka. We're supposed to be a normal family while we're here. Got that?"_

_Tony rubbed the sore spot on his head while his other father chuckled lowly. "Hai, hai. Wakata. You didn't have to hit me so hard, touchan." The pout on both their faces only made Sanji laugh harder._

_The village was still in the early stages of waking as they made their way towards the entrance, seemingly the normal family Usopp had hoped they could pass off as. He found all his worries drifting away, however, when Sanji wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him close. The marksman sighed and, although he tried focusing his mind on the task ahead, he just couldn't. _

"_So how're we going to get their attention?"_

_Usopp paused before he cleared his throat, drawing a deep breath and, with both his son and husband looking at him strangely, let out a long scream. "KAIZOKUUU DAAAAAA!"_

"_Touchan no baka," Tony murmured, flinching at the sound of his 'mother's' loud voice. "And here I thought we weren't supposed to let them know…"_

"_Urusei, kiddo." Sanji lit another cigarette, using the hand holding his lighter to bop the younger blonde on the head again. "Touchan knows what he's doing."_

"_KAIZOKUUU!"_

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The villagers had been such fools – welcoming him back with open arms even when they had knowledge of his bounty and dark reputation. The mothers and older women had all gushed over Tony, exclaiming that he was the spitting image of his 'father' as they pinched his cheeks, much to the young boy's chagrin.

Usopp tightened his grip on the rubber of his slingshot, looking over his former crew with cold eyes, his mask firmly in place as they stood their final ground. He truly was…proud of them.

"It's not too late for you, Captain," Tamanegi whispered, his voice carrying out over the 'battlefield'. Countless bodies littered the ground – all people Usopp had known and loved through his childhood, killed by his own hand as his captain had ordered. Tamanegi strived to see, his glasses having been broken earlier in the fight and sharp shards of glass scattered and embedded across his face. The brunet struggled to uphold Ninjin's body even as his friend's breathing became erratic and slow. "You don't have to do this. You can renounce them! Come back to us!"

The curly-haired man's stance slackened slightly, hand almost loosening his hold on the rubber sling. He heard footsteps behind him, knowing Sanji and Tony had returned from the other side of the island where another small country town lay. Sanji's arm wrapped around his waist comfortingly, fingers running deftly along his hip as two words were whispered into his ear in sultry, husky tones.

"_Do it_."

Usopp's hand retracted back, and the slingshot fired.

His former 'crew' died instantly, gurgled sounds coming from their throats as blood and brain organs splattered along the tiny town's walls. He savored the sight, breathing deeply as Sanji wrapped him up into a hug.  
Tony watched his parents embrace each other from his perch on a wooden box that had been tipped upwards during the 'battle', swinging his feet as he spared a glance towards the trio of villagers that had been the last. Although he had been conditioned in a certain way since babyhood, he knew that somehow those three meant much to his 'mother'.

"Usopp-san." The soft voice that came from behind them made the small family turn their heads, watching Kaya drop to her knees into the surrounding blood. The fair-haired girl had a shocked and scared expression on her face, her hand sliding from the side of a hut as she looked at him incredulously. "How…how could y…"

"Kaya," he whispered, flinching as she fired every curse word she knew at him, the shock becoming rage. The slightly younger woman stood, her skirt drenched in the townspeople's blood, and stalked over towards them, fury evident on her face. There was a loud smack and Usopp raised a hand to his face, cradling the burning red cheek as he stared at her. "Kaya…I…"

Again there were whispers of comfort and commands in his ear as Sanji took hold of him from behind, hands and fingers trailing deftly across the bared skin not hidden by his overalls. The sniper swallowed, shakily holding out his slingshot again as he pulled back the elastic for the last time.

A pain shot through his chest the same moment Kaya died, the pachinko having been shot upwards through her neck to the top of her head where blood poured, coating her pretty long-flowing golden hair with crimson. Her body crumpled into a heap at his knees, blood spilling forth from his lips as he swore he somehow heard her whisper his name.

Usopp collapsed into Sanji's waiting arms, his slingshot finally falling from his fingers as he let out a shuddering breath, clutching at the cook for dear life. Cold ice ran through his veins as he looked at the ruby liquid splattered on his form, drenching his overalls and coating his hands more than it was figuratively. No tears came, however much he willed them to, and by the time the Mugiwara Kaizokudan entered the village to survey the damage and ransack the huts, their captain came back to a much colder man.

Luffy smiled darkly, bearing his teeth as he looked around. The Pirate King returned his attention back to his sniper after his eyes had landed on Kaya and the three teenagers, stepping close enough to whisper into his ear.

"Congratulations," he purred, smirking as he allowed his fingers to play with Usopp's curls, remembering a time when bed partners were different and Usopp had been his. Of course, the slightly younger man was still his, just in a different sense now. "You've earned your dream."

It wasn't until they were back on the Going Merry sailing away from Syrup Village, until he was in his shared bed with Sanji's arm wrapped around him from behind and exhausted from the day's and night's activities, that Usopp allowed himself to cry silently.

– Fin –

_Notes:_ Well, this has been on the backburner for months on end, ever since I wrote _Darkness on the Horizon_. There will be chapters from each of the Mugiwara Kaizokudan's perspective, one chapter each. I have no clue when they'll all be out since I'm so busy lately, but I have things planned for Chopper and Nami, so expect them sometime within the next two months.  
Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!


	3. III: Dreams of Nothingness :Chopper:

**Darkness on the Horizon  
III: Dreams of Nothingness**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Luffy/Zoro and Sanji/Usopp), Chopper/Kuina nakamashippy, one-shot. Tony Tony Chopper dreamed to be able to create a panacea that could cure any disease. Instead, the opposite is born – a deadly poison that can spread through the air…and kill anyone who breathed it.  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. If I owned OP, Sanji and Usopp (not to mention Zoro and Luffy) would've had sex already. 'Fraid not, kiddies. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
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Drum Island.

Chopper had never dreamed he would return to this place. He trudged alone through the snow in Beast form, blue backpack strapped between his shoulder blades, the Going Merry fading in the distance. A lot of expanse lay between where he was and Kureha's castle, and although he did not desire to get there in any hurry, he had only four days to complete his mission.

The small reindeer was terrified by the changes his captain had gone through after finding One Piece. Luffy had become a cold, demanding creature of wanton bloodlust, and expected each of his crew to perform a 'special' kind of task before he knew he could trust them till the end completely.

Chopper kept his head up even though he sometimes didn't agree with what his captain was demanding, fulfilling his duties as the ship's doctor religiously and burying himself in his work. He missed the days when he had been able to run around on deck or listen to Usopp's stories, missed the days where he was able to sleep without worrying whether or not he would die the next day.

But more than anything, he missed the days with Kureha, and even before then, the days with Hirulik. Those days he missed especially, terribly, painfully. Memories of his 'father's' death rode heavily on his shoulders and gave him nightmares he would rather soon forget…

The cracking of a branch behind him made his ears twitch and Chopper swiveled his head around, frowning when he saw nobody. However, he soon spotted a small hand clutching at the large trunk of an oak tree, and a gentle smile curled around his muzzle.

"Kuina-ojousama, please…go back to the ship. Senchou-sama will…worry about you." It was the only wording he could find without making himself even slightly scared – Luffy's moods these days were unpredictable; he might even kill him if anything happened to the green-haired angel he called his daughter.

The small girl poked her head around from the tree trunk, straw hat half covering her face and Wadou Ichimonji hanging at her side – Zoro had passed on his long-favored sword to the young mistress of the Going Merry, training her in the arts of Nitoryu and Santoryu. Dressed warmly in a thick jacket, pants and mittens, Kuina waded her way through the snow over to her doctor, breath frosted over by the cold air. "But I was worried about you, Chopper-san," she whispered, lowering her head as she stared at the snow, seeing it for the first time. "You looked so lonely…I thought I would accompany you. I know otousama can be harsh but he really…"

Chopper should have taken her back to the ship right then. He knew he should have taken her back and delayed the start of his trip by another day. Foolishly, however, he turned in the snow, motioning with a crane of his neck for her to get onto his back behind the blue backpack. Kuina smiled brightly – a smile that reminded him of her father from way before – and clambered on, holding tightly to the backpack.

"Hang on, kiddo," he whispered, turning around and with an almighty kick of his back legs was pelting through the snow again at top speed towards Kureha's castle, heart lightened slightly but at the same time dreading what could happen.

Fate had an odd way of hating him so…

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He was saddened to learn that Kureha had passed onto the next world five years ago. Chopper stood in Tanuki form at the grave that pronounced his 'mother' dead to his reality. He lowered his hat in respect, feeling Kuina take his hoof as only an innocent child could. Sighing deeply, the blue-nosed reindeer turned, slipping himself out of her hold and setting about to business.

"Chopper-san," the young girl began, but stopped when he looked back at her with haunted eyes. Eyes that spoke of a lot of things she had yet to understand and most she already did. Her physician then shook his head, turning to his backpack.

"Leave me be," he whispered, hoofs clinking against every little piece of equipment in his backpack. "Please, ojousama, go back to the ship." Chopper closed his eyes, feeling a wetness pass through his fur as he brought out the explosive shell Usopp had been ordered to create for him. He shivered when he felt her touch him again, this time her small palm braced against his back.

"Chopper-san, I'm not letting you do this alone," Kuina murmured, running her mitted hand lightly across brown fur. She leant against him, her chest pressing against his back as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Not when you've done so much for me in the past. I want to help you…"

"You and I both know that the best thing for you to do is go back to the ship," the reindeer said firmly, his voice only wavering slightly. Still, he said nothing more and continued to set about his work with a small weight pressed against him and smiled slightly, grateful for the warmth.

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Dalton hissed in pain, clutching at his chest as he leant against the side of the castle. His face was flushed and the former captain of Wapol's guard had not been feeling his best for the last couple of days. In fact, most of the villagers had grown sick, some of them dying within the last twenty-four hours or so.

He breathed heavily, eyes drooping as he swallowed thickly. Someone had spread poison through the air, that much was certain as he slid down the castle walls into a semi-squatting position. Eyes blurring, Dalton crawled through the cold snow, finally collapsing as he neared Kureha's grave.

He was hallucinating, he was sure of it. Her 'son' had left over nine years ago with that group of pirates who had finally stopped Wapol, yet now the little reindeer stood in front of him with solemn eyes in full Beast form, a small gas mask covering his muzzle. The reindeer looked at him one last time before turning, and Dalton was sure he saw a small green-haired girl on his back, breathing heavily.

A small, sardonic smile managed to curl its way onto Dalton's lips as he nodded slowly. '_I understand_.'

With one last gasp of breath, Dalton succumbed to the poison that had been spread through Drum Island's air as Kureha's former assistant galloped away, now faced with a new mission.

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At full-pelt, even with Kuina's comfortable weight on top of his back, Chopper managed to make it back to the ship by mid-afternoon. Once he had arrived, his captain had only given him a cold stare as the first mate gathered their child from between his shoulder blades. The small girl's face was tinged with red and blue, her breathing shallow. Chopper bowed his head, unwilling to let his captain see the tears welling in the depths of his eyes.

"Get to work," Luffy had hissed as he turned away, red jacket nearly slipping from his shoulders with the motion. "I expect Kuina to be at full health by tomorrow afternoon."

It was asking too much…he shouldn't have been able to do it…but somehow his ladyship was now lying on the bed she normally occupied, an empty bowl sitting beside her. Morning sunshine poked through the window through the chilly, poisoned air they still inhabited, falling upon the sleeping form of the ship's doctor.

Chopper was startled awake by the feeling of two hands brushing through his fur, before they faded as though they had never been there in the first place…

– Fin –

**NEXT –****_Darkness on the Horizon IV: Children She Could Not Touch_**


	4. IV: Children She Could Not Touch :Nami:

**Darkness on the Horizon  
IV: Children She Could Not Touch**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Luffy/Zoro, Sanji/Usopp, Robin/Nami), mentions of rape, one-shot. Nami watches her children flourish under the teachings of her crewmates…and dearly wishes she were able to tell them she loved them.  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. If I owned OP, Sanji and Usopp (not to mention Zoro and Luffy) would've had sex already. 'Fraid not, kiddies. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
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Nightmares of that night plagued her thoughts constantly; nightmares where she was gagged, tied down and thoroughly, roughly raped. Brutally, painfully raped by two people she believed she could trust, as those she believed she could seek help in stood by and watched, not doing a single thing…

Nami gazed down at the two children running across Merry's deck from her position under her tangerine trees, a haunted look in the far back of her eyes as she watched Tony playfully tag Kuina on the back. The red haired navigator's lips quirked into a bitter smile as the small girl retaliated with a tackle to the decking, beginning to tickle her blonde friend mercilessly as he howled in laughter.

It was an unusually peaceful day on the Going Merry. No orders to attack any nearby towns and drown the people in their own blood; no orders to any of his crew to kill those they dearly loved. It was unusual for Luffy to be in such a good mood – the sex must have been good last night, she mused darkly, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Nami raised a hand to her forehead as brief flashes of memory played for her mind – rough, calloused hands holding her down; cruel words whispered into her ear by that normally sweet, swooning voice that there was nothing she could do to stop them…

She dropped to her knees, arms still hanging on the railing as she suddenly felt too sick to stand. One arm fell to her stomach, cradling the scar that ran across the underbelly gingerly as she gazed at the children playing on Merry's deck without a care in the world. Her fingers clenched at her skin like they had Arlong's symbol so long ago, nails digging in hard enough to break skin.

They were rightfully _her_ children…then why did she only want to wrap her hands around their throats, choke them until they could breathe no more? Why did she, every time she saw them, have to be reminded of their fathers, the men who so brutally subjected her to something not even _Arlong_ had done?

She hadn't been allowed to hold them once after their births, hadn't been allowed any choice in their names nor in their upbringing. She silently sat by and watched as Kuina was trained in Nitoryu and Santoryu; her beautiful little angel a mad demon in battle like her father, Zoro, drowned in as much bloodlust as her other father, Luffy. She looked on as Tony was taught how to fight with his feet and kill with kitchen knives and slingshots, trained in the best of both worlds by Sanji and Usopp at the same time.

There were also times when Nami felt the almost insane calling to gather her maps, take her children and flee. But she knew Luffy would catch up to her sooner or later, would catch up and punish her severely.

Nami didn't quite feel like going through another brutal rape so soon…

Her captain hadn't bothered with ordering her to murder Cocoyashi Village, yet. Luffy knew that seeing her children brought up without their knowing that they were hers would be enough torment.

"Nami." The cartographer looked up to see Robin had come up the small set of stairs, a thin smile to the darker-haired woman's lips. There was a sorrowful look in her eyes as she approached the smaller female, placing a hand gently on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

She smiled warily but stood in a flourish, ignoring the dizziness in her head as she stared down at the children again, noticing they had gone from tag to curling up underneath the mast to sleep the afternoon until their training sessions. Her smile grew a little more and she nodded, turning her head to look at Robin.

"I'm fine. Just…thinking about some things."

The archeologist raised one fine eyebrow in a nod, making her way over to the chair in the shade of the tangerine trees and sat down, opening the book she had brought up with her. Nami turned her gaze back to the children as Kuina snuggled against Tony, the blonde wrapping an arm around his unknown sister.

Yes. Even though there were times she wanted to murder them; although there were times when she hated that their fathers for taking them away from her; even when she felt like taking them and running from it all, there was no doubt…

…Nami did and still would love her children although they would never acknowledge her or know she was their mother.

Children she could not touch.

– Fin –

_**Next: Darkness on the Horizon V – Mirror Mirror on the Wall  
**_


	5. V: Mirror Mirror on the Wall :Sanji:

**Darkness on the Horizon  
V: Mirror Mirror On The Wall…**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Luffy/Zoro and Sanji/Usopp, mentions of Luffy/Usopp), mentions of rape, one-shot. Sanji muses late at night…  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. If I owned OP, Sanji and Usopp (not to mention Zoro and Luffy) would've had sex already. 'Fraid not, kiddies. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
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The lower decking of the Going Merry was filled with quiet snores and low mumbles, unused hammocks rocking gently with the waves. Two children occupied one of them – one a small young girl with shoulder-length green hair who snuggled closer to her blonde companion as he wrapped a protective arm around her. She turned on her side, resting her head on his chest as she tried to get comfortable and resume sleep.

In the room adjacent to the lower decking, behind closed doors, Sanji unknowingly mimicked his son's actions and wrapped an arm around Usopp's shoulders, raising a hand to his lips after taking a long drag of his cigarette as he pulled the marksman's naked body slightly closer, as though being reassured of his presence. The chef stared at the ceiling, glazed blue eyes unblinking before he lowered them to the cigarette between his fingers, twirling it slightly before replacing it back into his mouth with a deep sigh.

As Usopp buried his head into the crook of his armpit and continued to snore with the peaceful sound of the water crashing against the boat, Sanji spared a quick glance to the full-length mirror occupying his side of the bedroom, brows furrowing in confusion as he spotted a man he didn't like in there.

Over the course of the last nine years, he had changed much from the womanizing young man he used to be. After Luffy had ordered him to destroy All Blue eight and a half years previous, he had found himself teetering on the edge of loosing his sanity with Usopp as his only balance. He had lost all enthusiasm towards both women and cooking once his beloved, sought-after ocean had been turned into a wasteland by his own hand, instead spending his days in the galley catering for the crew without the rhythm he used to have and spending his nights curled up next to a man he knew belonged to his captain.

And then…Luffy had made his offer. Nami's body in exchange for Usopp's hand, one night each week for the next two months. His plan was to impregnate her with their children; the next generation of Mugiwaras; and Sanji had felt his mouth grow dry – one night a week for two months with the woman he had often dreamed about since meeting her long ago on the Baratie?

A sigh escaped his lips as he remembered the feeling and pulled the cigarette from between his lips once more, closing his eyes as he tilted his head back against the pillow. Buried in that wonderful, gorgeous body, slick with sweat as he held her down and watched her writhe beneath his grasp, ignorant to her muffled cries. Nami's well-being and comfort hadn't mattered; all that mattered was that he was finally, finally…

She barely spoke to him now, if not a few quiet words or shouts of warning in battle. Indeed, a part of him could see the reason why she wouldn't, a rational part that hadn't been lost to the insanity his captain had begun. The rational part was hiding now; hiding as it would during a fight with marines or a rival pirate group.

Sanji eyed the man in the mirror, snuffing out his cigarette into the ashtray residing on the bedside table, gently lifting his arm out from underneath Usopp's head and letting it drop to the mattress softly as the bed squeaked under his weight. He released the groaning divan of his presence, padding his way over towards the mirror slowly as he stumbled ever so slightly.

As he approached the mirror, his eyes landed on a pair of black leather shoes laying there, dyed with the blood of countless people. He smirked lightly, fumbling around on the dresser next to the mirror for his cigarettes – he really had earned Zeff's infamous nickname, as the Marines and various others had taken to calling him 'Red Shoes' Sanji. The battles were so numerous now that he didn't even bother to wash the blood from them these days, figuring it was just a waste of time. The blood of many men, women, children, Marines and pirates lay caked on the expensive leather, so thick you could hardly see any black anymore.

As a shaking hand lit the cigarette now adorning his mouth, he raised his eyes from the floor to the mirror, dropping the match as though it still burned down on his fingertips. No; he decided he didn't like the man in the mirror at all as he lifted a hand to blow smoke out from between his lips.

The man in the mirror mocked him with a cold, cruel smile mimicking his captain's, standing lazily to one side with a hand to his hip and the other hanging down limply as though the bones throughout the limb were broken. Fierce blue eyes looked at him from his reflection, narrowed to the point of cat-like slits. The man's body – he realized, completely horrified – was coated in fresh blood, dripping from every angle, every dip and curve, matting perfect blonde hair with red streaks and thick clumps.

The man in the mirror smiled and licked his lips delicately, just a quick flick of his tongue, before his voice – Sanji's voice albeit a little darker – sounded over the deafening silence, and Sanji recoiled ever so slightly. "Restless tonight, are we?" he purred, his smile parting to reveal perfect white teeth. "I knew you'd come back to talk to me."

"Shut up," Sanji hissed, one hand sloppily gripping the knob carved into the top of the mirror's stand. His eyes blinked blearily from the lack of sleep, scowling at the man in the mirror, his other hand fumbling for his cigarette. "Don't talk to me."

The other laughed quietly in amusement, crossing his arms as he seemed to not be bothered by the blood dripping down his form, as though it wasn't there at all. "You know what would make you feel better," he purred, brushing a stray hand through his crimson-streaked hair, eyes alit with devious thoughts. "Another night…another night with _her_ trembling, naked, _begging_ beneath you." The man spared a quick glance over Sanji's shoulder at the sleeping form of the marksman in his bed and the cook followed his gaze unwillingly. "He's just not cutting it, is he? It's not the same as the feeling of a woman pleading you to let her go…"

"Shut up." Sanji's hiss was feral and the cigarette fell from his fingertips to the floor as he groped for and clutched at his ears, squeezing his eyes shut, hoping that when he opened them the man wouldn't be there in the mirror. "Shut up. I'm not listening to you anymore."

The other's laughter became wilder and Sanji opened his eyes, releasing a shuddering breath as his fingers grasped clumsily at his ears, trying to close them. "But I'm a part of you, Sanji-kun," he whispered sweetly, using the voice he himself had often used to on women. "I can't be killed, and I can't be silenced. I'm that part of you that won't go away, no matter how much you wish I would. I'm your unfulfilled fantasies; your hopes; your dreams…your darkest desires…"

Tears began falling down Sanji's pale cheeks one by one as he fell to his knees, shaking his head as he tried to block out the man's voice… But he couldn't. The laughter rolled around in his mind as he clutched at his skull, fingernails digging in enough to draw blood as he put his head between his knees and cried.

Cried for what he had done to Nami; for what he was doing to Usopp; cried for all he had massacred under the order of his captain…

But most of all, he cried for himself – the Sanji that didn't exist anymore.

The man in the mirror smiled and turned away, walking back towards the bed. He smirked darkly down at the sleeping form of the ship's sniper, leaning down to crawl onto the bed and over towards him, sitting on his knees.

Usopp was woken by the gentle turning of his head, by the small flick of a tongue across his skin to collect the slight drool that had rolled down his chin. He blinked back sleep and responded, parting his mouth as Sanji delved in, one hand cradling the back of his head as he wrapped tired arms around smooth shoulders. The chef smiled as he pulled away, lifting his other hand to run it through his husband's curls. He leaned down again, capturing Usopp's lips a second time, slightly rougher this time rather than the last, bringing the hand behind him to his front where he trailed it enticingly down tanned skin, digging his nails into the uncovered abdomen and feeling Usopp shiver and gasp and curl up into his arms…

The pathetic creature in the mirror faded now that he wasn't looking at it anymore, the soft glow of the unfinished cigarette their only light before it snuffed itself out, leaving them in darkness.

Darkness like what lay in Sanji's mind.

– Fin –

_**Next: Darkness on the Horizon VI – The Harsh Truth  
**_


	6. VI: The Harsh Truth :Robin:

**Darkness on the Horizon  
VI: The Harsh Truth**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Luffy/Zoro, Sanji/Usopp, Robin/Nami), mentions of rape, one-shot. Robin might not have much her captain can take away from her…but there is one person who she holds dear…  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. If I owned OP, Sanji and Usopp (not to mention Zoro and Luffy) would've had sex already. 'Fraid not, kiddies. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Every time she saw those children, Robin could only barely hold back the dark glare from her eyes. The archeologist watched them from the tangerine trees, one hand leaning her forward on the railing as they resumed their afternoon training sessions with their 'fathers'.

She watched Kuina draw her practice bokken on the higher deck near the Going Merry's figurehead before taking a running leap forward and bringing it down hard against Zoro's, watching the green-haired swordsman smile tenderly as the small girl pushed him back as far as she could before he retaliated.

Around the area by the mainsail's mast, Tony was currently doing a handstand as Sanji gently placed weighted shoes on his feet as they hung in the air, his knees nearly doubling from the pressure but managing to hold himself up. With a grunt, he slowly began to turn himself in circles using his hands, lashing out at the training arm pads Usopp wore.

Robin had been gone the night they were conceived, on a small archeological expedition to a site on the island they had docked at, with Chopper as her only companion. Together they had explored the ruins of what had once been the island's capital, and it was only when they came back, when she had entered her shared cabin to find Nami sobbing into the stained sheets of her bedspread. As Chopper had cleaned the navigator up of her wounds and excess fluids on her form, Robin had pressed for information, pressed so hard that it had nearly brought her cartographer to fresh tears.

She had stood there, horror displayed on her face, as Nami recounted the events of the night. How, one by one, the men of the Going Merry – their _nakama_ – had raped her; how they wouldn't stop even as she begged and pleaded to be let go; how three of them would hold her down as one…

Robin snapped herself out of those thoughts, her gaze wandering to the sail, which held the pirate crew's symbol – the Mugiwara Boshi no Jolly Roger. She relaxed her grip on the railing slightly, unconsciously removing the Hana-Hana hands that had randomly begun appearing around her. Looking down at the children and their 'parents' once more, a small, unnoticeable snarl curled its way across her lips and her fingers tightened on the wood she was leaning against, nails digging enough to bury beneath the splinters.

"Thinking about killing them, are you?" The dark purring voice made her turn her head ever so little, watching her captain approach her in a saunter. Luffy smiled – a mockery of his former self – and slid his hand across the railing as he joined her, looking down at the children contentedly. "I wouldn't consider that if I were you, Robin."

"They shouldn't have been born and you know it," she hissed, bearing her teeth as she tore himself from where his arm wrapped itself around her waist, turning to face him. "They're abominations. Bastard children who will never know the pleasure of growing up happily!"

Luffy withdrew his arm, leaning back on the railing carelessly and turning his gaze elsewhere. "They're living what they've always known; they're well looked-after, well cared for. They're happy enough." He looked at her with hooded eyes, tilting his shoulder so it connected with his chin almost coyly. "Or isn't that enough for you? Do you want them to suffer as you did?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Robin turned away, hands clenching as she remembered Nami's tearful face. "How could you have done that to Nami? How could you have breached her trust like that! She trusted you…trusted you enough to _die_ for you!" The historian swung around on her heel, blazing blue eyes glaring at her captain. "Why! How could you do such a thing!"

His smile became cold as he straightened himself, fixing the flowing red jacket so it rested comfortably around his shoulders. Luffy's smile split to reveal his teeth as he approached her, reaching up slightly to take her cheek into his hand. "It's simple, Robin," he purred, so dark and low she had to strain her ears to hear it. "So simple I'm surprised I have to continue to repeat myself every time you ask." He caressed her cheek with his thumb, making her shiver. "Because I can. Because from the first moment I saw her I wanted that body writhing beneath me, _begging_ me for mercy."

His eyes darkened and narrowed, tongue darting out to wet his lips as he leaned in close towards her, smile curling all the more as she tried to lean away, her stomach tightening in anticipation. "Because I knew you cared so much for her," he hissed into her ear, hot breath flowing along her jaw line and exposed neck. "Because in the end…" Luffy paused, chuckling lowly. "…It doesn't matter. You already know. You've asked me so many times before, yet why do you persist in continuing to ask me?" His free hand snaked its way up her body, and Robin had to refrain herself from retaliating.

She couldn't retaliate. Not yet. Never not yet.

"Because as long as we sail under your flag, we're yours," the archeologist whispered, lowering her gaze as her captain neared.

"That's right," the dark-haired man purred, pulling himself away. He looked out over the decking of the Going Merry where the children trained, leaning once more onto the railing. "You're mine. Every last one of you. Mine to break, to bend to my will …mine to use." Luffy looked at her out the corner of his eye, beginning to turn away. "Get that thought out of your head, Robin. You know mutiny will do you no good."

And that was the harsh truth.

– Fin –

_**Next: Darkness on the Horizon VII – A Swordsman's Honor**_


	7. VII: A Swordsman's Honor :Zoro:

**Darkness on the Horizon  
VII: A Swordsman's Honor**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Luffy/Zoro, Sanji/Usopp, Robin/Nami, Luffy/Usopp), descriptions of rape, one-shot. Zoro muses on things that have been, and things that are still to come.  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. If I owned OP, Sanji and Usopp (not to mention Zoro and Luffy) would've had sex already. 'Fraid not, kiddies. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zoro's bleary eyes were greeted by a crimson-red sunrise dipping over the watery horizon of the East Blue as he stepped out of the cabin for the morning's training session. The swordsman rubbed sleep from his face as he observed the glittering ocean before him under the sun's gentle guidance. There were times when he wondered why the sun bothered to continue to shine down on them.

He raised his eyes and looked over his shoulder slightly in the direction of the captain's quarters, arm resting on the hilts of his two swords. Luffy had spent yet another night awake, as he did so often these days, doing something Zoro had no desire to find out about. He could do nothing but stand aside and watch his husband immerse himself deeper into his bloodlust and insanity, only be there to follow his captain's orders.

Husband…it had been a long time since he had thought of himself as such. These days Luffy didn't treat him any different than he did the rest of his crew. They had married on Raftel at the end of the Grand Line, only a couple of days after landing and a week before finally reaching Luffy's long-time goal.

That had been the last time he had seen a smile on Luffy's face; standing at the entrance of the island's temple as a witchdoctor performed the ceremony. A true, genuinely happy smile as he took his sword-ridden, calloused hands in his own rubbery fingertips and said his vows. A truly happy smile as he leaned down to place the long-awaited kiss on his captain's lips, hearing the shouts of delight and congratulations of the local villagers and their crew…

Zoro shook his head with a sigh, leaning against the railings of the starboard with his elbows and looking down at his hands as a light morning breeze wafted over the deck of the Going Merry. With a bitter smile he twisted the golden wedding band snugly nestled around his ring finger, watching the dawn sunlight play across the carefully folded metal.

No…Luffy didn't treat him any different than the others, didn't treat him like he was his husband, didn't treat him like they were married. On the rare occasion Luffy did retire to their room at night, he was either very moody – resulting in possibly the roughest night Zoro ever had – or cruelly sweet; bringing him to the brink only to torment him, to make him beg for it like he was…like he was some _whore_.

And then…and then there was Kuina.

Not the Kuina of his childhood, but his own beautiful daughter, Kuina D. Roronoa. Zoro buried his head into his arms as he remembered how the little girl had been conceived; how when it had come to his turn Nami had given up on pleading and just laid there in silent tears, taking it. He had hesitated, his grip softening on her hips as his head swam back into focus around the alcohol in his system.

Then Luffy's arms had snaked around his waist, the comfortable weight of his husband against his back as purred words reached his ears, hot breath rolling down his neck as cold hands brushed over his chest enticingly. One slip from his captain's hips had been all that was needed and Nami's body twitched in the thrust, the red-haired woman laying there without a word, dry tear tracks down her cheeks and blood crusting her under thigh and backside. Ignoring the fact that Sanji and Usopp had long since left the room for their quarters, ignoring the fact that it was wrong to have someone under him like this, Zoro was gently but roughly guided by his husband in completing the events of the night.

All the while it had been happening, he couldn't keep his eyes off Nami's face, trying vainly to search for some sign of life in her dark brown eyes, even wishing she would scream at him to get off her, to thrash like she had done with the other two men before she had finally relented under Luffy's grasp.

He had stayed in her room only for a short while after his husband had left once it was done, sitting at the end of the bed with his head bowed to his hands with his legs spread and naked as the day he was born, sparing glances at the navigator every now and then hoping she might say something. Nami's head was tilted towards the wall the bed was up against, her breathing shallow and low, the only sign that she was still alive being the soft rise and fall of her naked chest.

Zoro had finally gathered his pants from where they had been tossed haphazardly across the floor by Sanji when it had all begun, not bothering to pull them on and instead slinging the black slacks over his shoulder. Remorsefully he glanced back at Nami as his fingertips touched the doorknob of her shared cabin, biting his lip as a softly whispered apology left his mouth in the heavy, moist air or the girls' bunks.

Remembering it made him feel as awful as he had felt back then when it had happened, and he pressed his forehead into his hands again. When he looked at his daughter it made him feel sick in his stomach, seeing a bit of her biological mother in her day after day as the small, green-haired angel grew. Already Kuina's hair was beginning to shape like Nami's; her bright dark brown eyes reminiscent of the navigator's and her bubbly personality reminiscent to that of her father's years ago.

So many times when he wished he could have had the courage – hadn't been _drunk_ – that night. So many times he wished he could have been able to take Nami's place to spare the woman's suffering. So many times he wished they hadn't reached Raftel. So many times he wished they hadn't found One Piece.

So many times he wished Luffy was still the cheerful, bouncy teenager he had met and fallen in love with so long ago; tied to a post cross-style in the middle of a field in a Marine station, staring into eyes so full of dreams and happiness he felt as though he could be lost in those depths forever.

But there was no way for his wish to come true.

His honor as a swordsman was broken…

– Fin –

_Notes:_ One more chapter left! For the love of Oda, please leave a review!


	8. VIII: To Be The Pirate King :Luffy:

**Darkness on the Horizon  
VIII: To Be The Pirate King**  
Written by Takato Metallium  
_Plot:_ AU, dark, slash (Luffy/Zoro, Sanji/Usopp, Robin/Nami, Luffy/Usopp), descriptions of rape, one-shot.  
_Disclaimer:_ I disclaim all rights to _One Piece_, as it belongs to Eiichiro Oda-san. If I owned OP, Sanji and Usopp (not to mention Zoro and Luffy) would've had sex already. 'Fraid not, kiddies. I only own the fanfic, the idea and not much else.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My name is Monkey D. Luffy; affectionately known as Mugiwara boshi by my enemies, and feared as the Pirate King by simple-minded villagers and townspeople. I have a nine hundred million Beri bounty on my head – quite possibly the highest bounty in the history of pirates. I ate the Akuma no Mi, Gomu Gomu, when I was a child, which gives me the ability to stretch my body like rubber, but above all…

…I am a monster.

I will admit it to myself and nobody else. I am a monster; the devil himself some say – even my husband once called me the son of the devil, long ago when we first met. I have forgotten what it's like, to live for something other than the sight, the taste…the _feel_ of blood…and indeed I believe I've quite forgotten where my bloodlust started.

Perhaps it started when I was to kill my brother, Ace; perhaps it started long before then when Shanks talked me into battling him, to try and find out which one of us was truly the better pirate. Heh, I believe he had seen what I was about to become; a battle had been the only way he could kill me without remorse.

Unfortunately, I won. Shanks has been rotting on Raftel for the last eight years, along with the rest of his crew. I will always be thankful towards him for saving me when I was a young boy though; eternally grateful no matter how others might feel otherwise.

Ace joined the Marines after my crew and I murdered the Whitebeard Kaizokudan in cold blood. He tried so hard to capture me for three long years before I was able to hold him by the throat, several feet off the ground, my fingers oh so slowly crushing his windpipes. Ace had put up a good struggle, clawed at my arm like a wildcat with wide dark eyes, staring at me like I was some sort of freak…a monster from the darkest of children's nightmares. He died by my hand; his esophagus collapsing in on itself from the pressure I put it under, blood gurgling from his throat to splatter along my arm and halfway across my face.

I dropped him unceremoniously to the cruel harsh desert dunes of Arabasta and raised my arm close to my face. I was shaking, for some odd reason – shaking from the thrill of victory, shaking from the adrenaline rush battle gave me…shaking because I had just killed my older brother, the only family I had left alive. I still remember the words I had whispered to his dead body as I licked the blood off my arm;

"There is no honor amongst pirates, brother dearest. Survival of the strongest, Portgas, and I'm afraid you just weren't strong enough. After all…_I_ am the King of the Pirates."

I think that had begun my sink into insanity. I remember every detail of the plan I had made to ensure Nami would become pregnant with our children; I remember every piece of blackmail I've ever said to my crew; I remember threatening them…I remember _everything_ of these last nine years and yet nothing at all.

That's right. The last nine years have been a blur in my eyes, fuzzy images being played before me with outcomes I know are not true, people I know I have not met. I see the face of a young, frightened child; I hear the cries of mercy from a woman begging me not to kill her; I smell the blood of a man who was in my way. Countless, nameless faces blur into one before my eyes; blur into the one person I hold dearest above all else…

My husband. Roronoa Zoro.

Out of all my crew, it sickens me the most when I look at him, remembering how I have treated him these past years since our marriage on Raftel before the finding of One Piece. Every time I look at him, I'm reminded of villages we have ravaged, reminded of those nameless, faceless victims of my own dark bloodlust. I'm reminded of everything I've ever done to anyone, be it a member of my crew or someone else entirely.

Only then does it make my stomach churn. Only then does it make me want to vomit up my last meal at the thought of a sea of blood dripping through a nameless town.

I'm almost afraid to touch my daughter these days. Too afraid I'll do something to her as well. My beautiful little angel, Kuina D. Roronoa; the little girl I've been conditioning since her birth, dreaming of the day when she will take my place. I see Nami in her, remnants of the one I offered to be my navigator. I wonder when my little princess will begin to notice the similarities between her and her 'Auntie' Nami, when she'll begin questioning the origins of her existence. Kuina is not as innocent as she portrays herself to be, not under my teachings. She'll grow up to be a fine young woman, and even a finer pirate.

I can't count the amount of times I have shared a bed with Usopp. Long before I ever loved or married Zoro, even times afterwards when there were nights my husband couldn't meet my requirements. Usopp was willing to meet those necessities…_too_ willing I found sometimes, much to my dislike. I found out his deepest, darkest secrets during our times together; his strongest desires, his inner cravings….everything about himself that he had never told anyone else before. The filthiest, dirtiest dreams were panted into my ear late at night when no one else was awake; stories of sinful profanity not even my own vivid imagination could provide. When he told me he loved Sanji, though, I knew then that our late night rendezvous would have to come to an end.

I look at Sanji as my own personal work of art more often than not. I broke his mind by making him destroy his beloved, sought-after ocean of All Blue; I broke it further when I got him drunk enough to rape Nami. Even though I knew his love for her was fake, he would never have agreed to it unless extremely intoxicated – Sanji was just that kind of person. He had become schizophrenic after it happened. So schizophrenic that I was unsure of whether or not he would be sane enough to be able to cook anymore; prepared to abandon him for the safety of my crew. He proved me wrong, though. More often than not I still see him fighting for control over himself, but thankfully the medicine Chopper provides him is enough to keep him stable – Usopp is his only other set of chains.

Chopper has been submissive over the last eight or nine years, following my orders without a single protest. His voice no longer carries out over the ship, no longer does he swear; he is even more timid now than he was when I first took him in as my crew's doctor. If Kuina is alone without her 'brother' around, she will more often than not keep Chopper company while he continues to work in his own quarters. I thought negatively about it at first – especially when Chopper came back after his mission with my daughter poisoned on his back – but then a small part of me told me to leave them be, and so I did.

Robin…she was furious with me after what had happened to Nami, even going as far as to threaten me if it happened a second time. I only smiled smugly at her and told her that there was nothing she could do about it unless she planned on committing mutiny, and even then she would be powerless to stop me. She told me that I was turning into another Crocodile, ruling with fear and hatred, and I suppose that in a way she has been right. I knew there was nothing more I could do to my archeologist; she had already lost so much in her life; but then my smile became cruel and I indifferently threatened Nami's life, should she decide to go against me in the future. Robin has kept her personal feelings hidden these past years, but I know how much she despises what I've become.

…

I must admit, I hate myself as well.

Everything I've done…all the changes I've put my crew through…even my daughter and her half brother I hate.

…

…That's why this is goodbye…

My name is Monkey D. Luffy. I am, was, and always will be the Pirate King.

And I'm sorry.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the loud shot that rang through the morning dawn that roused the crew of the Going Merry.

Zoro was the first onto the deck, swords drawn and ready for the enemy that would never be there.

Sanji was next, with his hands in the pockets of the slacks he had roughly pulled on in his rush, feet bare of his blood-splattered shoes as he padded softly over to the swordsman's right, unkempt blonde hair falling into disturbed blue eyes.

Usopp followed his husband shortly after, five-ton mallet swinging purposefully in his hand as he stood beside the chef. The sniper would come to realize his training for the last nine years would all be for nothing.

As Nami, Chopper and Robin exited their respective cabins to join the other three crewmembers, Zoro was the first to notice the blood splattered across the figurehead of the Going Merry, and the straw hat lying faithfully at the bow, void of an owner and coated in crimson.

…

The Pirate King was dead.

– Fin –

_Notes:_ Before anyone says anything; yes, I know Luffy is practically indestructable due to his Gomu Gomu powers. Of course, I believe that all logia Akuma no Mi users can operate their powers by will – Luffy only uses his more than others did. Therefore, if he were to kill himself by gun, he could lower the percentage of rubber his body becomes. He stood on the figurehead when it happened, incase something went wrong and he ended up having to drown himself instead.  
Aside from that – thank you everyone for your reviews and encouraging words! See you next time in _To Be A Woman_!  
– Takato Metallium


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